Monday, 15 July 2013

You Gotta Be In It - Lynne Garner

Getting published is a bit of a lottery. If you're not in it you're not gonna win it. So in January I made the New Years resolution to write
and send off one new picture book story per month. As with all New Years resolutions I was good for the first couple of months but my energy started to flag around April time. So a few weeks ago, in a bid to
feel less guilty I decided to search my 'resting' stories to see if I had
any I still believed in. I surprised myself and found five stories I felt might be worth sending out again, after the odd tweak.

As a couple had already been sent to the 'usual' publishers
I felt it was worth undertaking a little research to find alternate publishers. So I
spent a morning reading submission guidelines for picture book publishers. As I
did my research I realised how demoralising the process could be. Around 50% of
the publishers I found no longer take un-agented authors and suggested getting
an agent (that's another post entirely).
Those who do accept un-solicited manuscripts stated:

They take one month to reply (note: this was just one publisher
out of the many)

Expect to wait up to three months for a reply

Don't expect to hear quickly they take up to six months

Will get back to you within three months but only if they like your work

Contact you only if they like your work - no time frame
given

As I found suitable publishers I created a table and placed them in order of
response time. By lunchtime I had five likely candidates, all of whom
respond within three months. I then spent the afternoon emailing my five stories along with synopsis and
covering letter. I didn't have to wait long for the first
rejection, just 18 hours!

I may have already received my first rejection but I still have five chances (the rejected story has been sent out to another publisher) of winning that publishing lottery.

So whilst I wait with fingers crossed I'm going
to work on a new title and send that out. Hopefully by January 2014 I might have fulfilled my New Years resolution and you never know even signed a new publishing contract.

A timely reminder to everyone how tough it can be, and how patient we have to be. Lynne, you care so much about picture books, and you work so hard to create something of worth to children, I believe you will come through. But it begs the question, how does one make a living out of picture books, agent or no agent? The answer, it seems to me, is that it's nigh on impossible, and other writing has to be done, or you have to have a generous partner. Sorry, that sounds a bit down, but it's not meant to be. It's how it is. Off to write my kid's travel guide now...

Thanks, Lynne, for another great post. I just love this blog. Yes, this is a challenging road we've chosen - to write children's books and get them published. It is most definitely not for the faint hearted. The thing is, I have to write, whether in the end the stories are published or not. It's an expressive need, a creative outlet, and I have feeling that's how it is with most of us writers. I also believe (and I don't think I'm that naive) that if we continue to hone our skills and persist, good thing will happen. Best of luck, Lynne, with your latest submissions. I'm rooting for you from over here on the other side of the pond. Hope we all win the lottery!